TAYALI EXPECTED IN KINSHASA FOR HIGH LEVEL INTER – MINISTERIAL MEETING ON KASUMBALESA & SATELITE BORDER POSTS
KINSHASA, DRC, Wednesday, May 7TH 2024
MINISTER of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Frank Tayali is expected to arrive in Kinshasa, the Capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the Inter-Ministerial Task Force Meeting of SADC Ministers of Trade, Transport and Security matters on the Resolution of the Challenges at the Kasumbalesa Border Post.
The High-Level Meeting which has started today, May 7th and end on May 9th 2024 is being held as a result of the 43rd SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, held on the 17th August 2023 in Luanda, Angola, where a directive was made to resolve the border challenges.
The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Hon. Jack Mwiimbu will also attend the meeting.
According to SADC, the move is meant to find a lasting solution to the perennial problems encountered by traders, both commercial and small-scale cross border traders, transporters, drivers and border control agencies on both sides at the Kasumbalesa border post, between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia.
The SADC has observed that the Kasumbalesa Border Post on both sides of the DRC and Zambian border is a transit point as far as trade is concerned, handling goods from the two countries as well as goods from other countries within the region.
Goods from beyond the region, including from the East African Community, West Africa, China, India, Europe, and the United States of America also transit through this border for final consumption not only in the Haut-Katanga Province of the DRC, but in other provinces as well.
The Kasumbalesa Border Post is characterised by perennial challenges that are reported in the news media from time to time which includes congestion at the border post, trade facilitation – related challenges, infrastructure challenges and increasing insecurity, especially for truck drivers and the entire trading community.
It is against this background that the Inter-Ministerial Task Force Meeting is called to find a lasting solution to the perennial problems encountered by traders-both commercial and small-scale cross border traders, transporters, drivers, and Border Control Agencies (BCAs) on both sides of the Kasumbalesa border, among many other stakeholders.
The SADC Secretariat has been directed to report back with concrete recommendations at the next SADC Summit to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The meeting will consider the draft Framework of Cooperation and the Action Plan developed, containing a comprehensive list of critical activities and initiatives that will address the problems occurring at the border of Kasumbalesa and satellite border posts of Sakania, Mokambo, and Kipushi among several others.
The meeting was preceded by the meetings of Technical officers and Permanent Secretaries from the two countries.
Issued by:
Original Copy Signed.
NDUBI R. MVULA
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER.